an autonomous republic under Azerbaijan. Nakhchivan, has a land border with our country along the Aras River, which passes through the December district of Iğdır, the easternmost point of Turkey. Nakhchivan, which hosted many important events that changed the fate of the region, can be reached from Turkey by air and land.
With the international agreement made with Azerbaijan, citizens of both countries can travel with their identity cards without the need for a passport. Although it is quite easy to reach our neighbor Nakhchivan by land, it is a pity that Nakhchivan is not yet seen as a tourism destination in our country.
Where is Nakhchivan? ?
Nakhchivan is surrounded by Armenia to the north and east, and Iran to the south and west. Nakhchivan has a land border of 11 km with Turkey in the northwest. Dilucu Border Gate on the Turkish side and Sederek Border Gate on the Nakhchivan side are connected by the Longing Bridge built on the Aras River.
Nakhchivan has no land border with Azerbaijan, to which it is an autonomous republic. With the agreement reached after the developments in Karabakh, it is planned to open a highway corridor between Nakhchivan and homeland Azerbaijan in the near future.
Nakhchivan Map ?
How to go to Nakhchivan? ✈️
It is possible to pass from Turkey to Nakhchivan by air from Istanbul and by land from Iğdır. Although the airline is the most practical method, the prices of plane tickets are unfortunately very high. The most economical method is to take the minibuses or buses departing from Iğdır.
1. How to get from Turkey to Nakhchivan by plane?
Flights from Turkey to Nakhchivan are made from Istanbul. There are regular flights to Nakhchivan from Istanbul Airport and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport throughout the year. Turkish Airlines is the most frequently flying airline on this route. Periodically, Azerbaijan Airlines and some private companies also have flights.
The journey takes 2 hours and 15 minutes by direct flight from Istanbul to Nakhchivan. For a connecting flight by plane, you can go to Baku from Istanbul and follow the Baku-Nakhichevan flights. Another method is to come to Iğdır by plane and take a minibus or bus from there.
2. How to Get to Nakhchivan from Turkey by Bus?
How to Get to Nakhchivan from Istanbul by Bus?: Iğdırlı Turizm has regular bus services from İstanbul to Nahçıvan every day. The bus that departs from Esenler Bus Station also stops at Alibeyköy Bus Station. Buses depart from Istanbul to Nakhchivan every day at 09.30, 12.30 and 17.00. Istanbul-Nakhchivan bus ticket price is 500TL. (April 18, 2022) Prices are updated according to fuel prices. The journey takes about 1 day and 1 hour. Depending on the waiting time at the border, the journey time also changes.
Istanbul-Nakhchivan Bus Route: Esenler, Alibeyköy, Harem, Sultanbeyli, Kaynarca, Kurtköy, Gebze, Izmit, Adapazari, Düzce, Bolu, Gerede, Ilgaz, Tosya, Osmancık, Merzifon, Tokat, Suluova, Amasya, Erbaa, Niksar, Reşadiye, Suşehri, Erzincan, Tercan , Aşkale, Erzurum, Horasan, Pasinler, Sarıkamış, Kars, Selim, Kağızman, Tuzluca, Iğdır, Iğdır Dilucu Border Gate and Nahçıvan Bus Station.
How to Get to Nakhchivan from Iğdır by Bus? Iğdırlı Turizm’s daily bus services from İstanbul to Nahçıvan also stop at the Iğdır Bus Terminal. By using these buses, it is possible to go from Iğdır to Nakhçıvan by bus. Iğdır-Nahçıvan bus ticket costs around 80 TL.
3. How to get to Nakhchivan from Iğdır by minibus?
One of the easiest ways to go to Nakhchivan is to take the Nakhchivan minibuses departing from Iğdır Municipality Square. As the name suggests, these minibuses with a capacity of 8 passengers depart when full. The cost of the Iğdır-Nakhchivan minibus is 20 Manat. The price varies as the TL amount for 20 manat changes.
I would definitely recommend the dolmus instead of the bus, as it takes less time to cross the border with the dolmus. It takes about 3 hours to reach Nakhchivan Bus Station from Iğdır by minibus.
Transportation advice to Nakhchivan
Let me also share how I went to Nakhchivan economically from Izmir, the city where I live. I bought İzmir-Ağrı and Iğdır-İzmir flight tickets. I used the minibuses going from Ağrı Airport to Doğubeyazıt. I came from Doğubeyazıt to the center of Iğdır by minibus. I also took care of my transportation to Iğdır-Nahçıvan and Nahçıvan-Iğdır by minibus. My most economical suggestion to you would be to come to Iğdır by plane and take a minibus from Iğdır to Nakhichevan.
